Chapter 3

Less than three minutes later, Charles texted me.

"Go home early. I bought you a blue diamond ring. I'll bring it back with me tonight.

"I'll be home early.

"I heard what you said today. Susie has a heart condition. You were right not to tell her who you are."

I read his messages but didn't reply. When I got home that evening, I called my lawyer to ask how the share sales were going.

Half my holdings had already been sold, and the money was in my account.

I'd just hung up when Charles came home. He stood in front of me with a black brocade box in his hand, his shadow falling over me.

"Serena..." His voice was a little hoarse. "I'll make our relationship public eventually, but I can't right now.

"Besides, if I reveal that you're my wife, people will look at Susie differently. You understand. It's also for your safety."

Charles kept saying it was all to keep me safe.

Yet he took Susie to public events all the time, and everyone thought she was his Donna.

None of that mattered anymore, though.

I no longer needed him to acknowledge me in public.

I nodded and didn't say anything else.

Charles exhaled in relief. He slipped the old ring off my finger and slid the new one on in its place.

"What made you suddenly show up there today?"

His tone was probing.

"Nico called and asked me to go," I said.

Charles's expression went blank for a moment, as if he'd only just remembered.

"I figured you don't like going to those kinds of events, so I just picked out the ring and brought it home for you.

"Next time, I'll take you myself, and we'll pick out an even bigger one."

Charles squeezed my hand and put his arm around my shoulders.

I listened without reacting. "Mm."

He rested his chin on top of my head. He hadn't held me like that in a long time.

Before Susie showed up, this was his favorite way to hold me while we talked.

But now, the sickly sweet perfume on him only made me want to throw up.

I pushed him away and went back to my room. Once he'd given me the ring, Charles left, and he didn't come home that night.

He had one of the staff let me know he'd gone to deal with family business.

Moments later, I saw Susie's latest social media post: a photo of her and Charles, their fingers laced together.

The caption read, "Today's shopping wasn't enough. Someone says he'll take me on another private shopping spree."

A thin sheen of sweat glistened on their arms. The implication was impossible to miss.

The comments underneath were all envious.

I turned off my phone and packed a few clothes and my documents.

I didn't plan on taking anything else.

When I finished, everything fit in one small suitcase.

In three days, I'd be able to leave this estate for good.

Charles stayed out all night. When he came home the next morning, there was a lipstick mark on the back of his white shirt.

I glanced at it and said nothing.

He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at me. "There's a jewelry exhibition tomorrow, but things are unstable in the family right now.

"I can't..."

I cut him off. "Okay, I understand."

He swallowed the rest of his words. My quick agreement seemed to throw him, and he took my hand. "Are you upset?"

He sighed. "You know Susie got her heart condition because of me."

I looked at him and scoffed inwardly. I had no feelings left for him. Nothing he did could hurt me now.

"I'm not upset."

He frowned at me for a moment, then said, "I found a gallery I like. I'll take you to see it tomorrow.

"If you like it, I'll just buy it for you."

I met his eyes. "Forget it. I already have two. We can talk about another one later."

I thought of Susie's post.

Charles was afraid I'd show up at the jewelry exhibition again and catch him with Susie. He was trying to head me off.

And he didn't mean it when he said he'd take me to see a gallery tomorrow.

When tomorrow came, he'd go to Susie and have Nico bring me a signed contract. I knew the routine.

It wasn't the first time he'd done this.

"Never mind," I said. "I'm a little tired, and you're busy with family business. We can go when you have time."

I didn't call him out. I played the understanding wife.

That was what Charles wanted to hear, but he didn't look pleased. He seemed stunned that I'd turned him down.

He squeezed my hand. "Okay, whatever you say.

"Then I'll go by myself tomorrow, sign the papers for the gallery, and bring them home to you."

I nodded without looking at him.

The day after tomorrow, I could leave.